


Mutualism

by AshsHorrorShow



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Arkham (Video Games)
Genre: Arkham Knight, Arkham Verse, Character Study, Gen, Introspection, One-Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2019-02-08 04:06:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12856389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshsHorrorShow/pseuds/AshsHorrorShow
Summary: Despite how much they hated each other, this partnership benefited them both.





	Mutualism

Jonathan Crane could feel the Arkham Knight’s hateful glare on him. He knew that the other man despised him. Not that Jonathan cared. He didn't hold much love for the other man either. Had they met under any other circumstances, Crane had no doubt they probably would be enemies. 

The Arkham Knight embodied practically everything Jonathan hated. The Knight let his emotions get the better of him and used over-the-top violence to handle his problems. He felt the need to be loud almost at all times, and was more impatient than anyone Jonathan had ever met. There was no subtlety to the Knight. Whoever it was behind the mask was nothing more than an angry man who for some reason had it out for Batman. Ironic to him, because besides the loudness, the Knight reminded him a lot of the Bat, even down to the fighting style. 

However much Jonathan disliked him though, the Arkham Knight was useful to him, and he, useful to the Arkham Knight. A symbiotic relationship of mutualism, if he’d ever seen one. 

Jonathan knew he didn’t have much time left on this earth. Every day since he’d been attacked by Croc in the sewers, he could feel his body shutting down more and more. The vision in his left eye was completely gone now, and his right eye was ailing fast. His legs couldn’t move the way they used too. His face was an infected, mutilated mess that he couldn’t even be bothered to try and fix. His breath came out in rasps and he had long since given up trying to take care of himself. 

He would be soon joining the Joker; dead and buried with the city celebrating his passing. But because that time was coming so soon, he had to work fast. He was going to differ from the clown in one way: that being he would actually defeat the Batman and actually accomplish the greatest plan he’d ever come up with. Once he accomplished that, he could die. The people could hate him all they wanted, but his legacy would live on forever, and the other Gotham rogues would have to lament that they never could come close to accomplishing what he had done. It was a nice vision.

Lanky Jonathan Crane, the person everyone had abused and hated, managed to pull off the greatest crime in the history of the world. 

He would be remembered in history books, years and years later for what he had done. 

But in order to do that, he couldn’t rely on just himself like he used to. Much as he hated to admit it, Batman and all of the rest of his little vigilante buddies were cleverer than he once gave them credit for. Time and time again, he thought he had come up with a foolproof plan, only for it to end the same way it always did: with him on the ground, hurt, and the Bat team triumphant. Some of the time it was his own arrogance that got his plans foiled. Other times, the Bat team simply outsmarted him. But most of the time, it simply came to the fact he never compared to the physical might of Batman or any of his companions. 

He’d never even held a candle to them back when he was fully able-bodied. But now that his movements were limited and caused him pain, he didn’t stand a chance. So as much as he hated physical violence, he had no choice. He needed a punch. He needed someone who ran an army and who was willing to hold the Batman off long enough to let him accomplish his plans. 

Then, once he got the satisfaction of seeing the Batman and all the other Gotham citizens suffering from the affects of his fear toxin, he could die happily. Heck, the Arkham Knight could dispose of him if he wanted to, which Jonathan was sure is what the other man had planned once they were successful in their plans. By then he would have accomplished his goal. He had nothing else to live for.

The Arkham Knight could rule the scraps that were left of Gotham and be content with the knowledge he killed the Batman. 

Of course, Scarecrow wished he could kill the Batman himself, but he supposed as long as he got to see Batman cower in fear and watch the despair befall over the Bat as he realized he had failed, then he supposed he could let the Knight finish off the sad husk that was left. Who really cared after that? 

So despite how much he wanted to dispose of the Knight, he patiently ground his way through all of the frustration the man caused him, both men knowing that in order for Jonathan’s plan to come into fruition, and Knight’s desire to destroy the Batman and all of the other rogues in Gotham to come true, then they had no choice but to work together. 

Jonathan Crane felt something within himself curl in pleasure at the idea of achieving success for once. 

He couldn’t wait.

**Author's Note:**

> I always wondered how Jonathan felt about the partnership with Arkham Knight. The whole entire game he seemed to be getting abused by him. Poor guy. 
> 
> As always, critique is wanted, and have a good day!


End file.
